Edited by Andrea Miller & Shambhala Sun
Shambhala Publications, $16.95, 224 pages
Mindfulness, as defined by editor Andrea Miller, is “paying close, yet gentle attention to whatever life brings and allowing our awareness to make us more compassionate and loving.” She and her fellow editors at Shambhala Sun magazine gather a collection of writings in Right Here with You – Bringing Mindful Awareness into Our Relationships. The anthology includes essays from thirty diverse sources including meditation teachers, psychotherapists, authors, and spiritual leaders. One need not be a mindfulness practitioner or a Buddhist to find meaning within the writings. Some stories are painfully heartbreaking and others quite humorous, yet each illustrates valuable lessons to which the reader will relate.
The authors share concrete tools and subtle ideas on opening our awareness and practicing mindfulness in our relationships, to be mindful of our emotions, habits, and expectations. That is the challenges of being present and loving. This anthology is a gift for anyone who has experienced the painful heartache of love lost, the bliss of romantic love, or the sometimes monotonous love of marriage. All are sources of pain, but also learning and growth. All relationships, including the one with ourselves, can benefit from the wisdom shared in this book.
Reviewed by Julie Finley
[amazon asin=1590309049&text=Buy On Amazon&template=carousel]